The mule deer range reaches from the deserts of Mexico in the south to the southern forests of Alaska and Yukon in the north. Usually, there can be from one to six tines, although trophy racks can reach more.

The tines grow from the main beam and grow their own tines (the third one grows out of the second one). The outside spread of mule deer antlers can reach almost 40 inches, although the most common would be 24.Īs opposed to elk antlers, the mule deer ones fork out. Mule deer also has an impressive rack, however smaller than the elk. The length of elk antlers can reach 6 ft, and their spread about 47 inches. Usually, there could be from one to eight tines, and elk with six is called Royal, with seven an Imperial, and eight a Monarch. Elk antlers sweep back and raise about 4 ft above the head, and they are based on one beam from which tines spurt up. There is also a significant difference in the antler size and shape between elk and mule deer. The smallest of the mule deer, the Sitka black-tailed deer, can only reach 200 lbs for bucks and 100 lbs for does, which one can compare to a six-month-old elk calf. Mule deer can reach 3’6″ in the shoulder. Some trophy mule deer can weigh up to 460 lbs on hooves, but the average size for a buck is 120 – 330 lbs, and a doe is even smaller, usually between 90 and 200 lbs. Female Tule elk weighs up to 421 lbs and male up to 701 lbs. Other subspecies aren’t far behind, with Manitoban elk females weighing 606 lbs, males 1054 lbs, and Rocky Mountain elk females weighing 500 lbs and males 700 lbs.Įven the smallest of the elk subspecies in North America, the Tule elk is bigger than any mule deer. Females are smaller but still quite imposing, with their 4’6″ and weight reaching 644 lbs.

Male Roosevelt elk can reach 4’11” in shoulder height and weigh up to 1300 lbs. Body and Antler SizeĪs one of the largest game species in North America, elk takes the lead in the size comparison with mule deer. They don’t resemble each other, but they overlap territories, and hunting them can be equally challenging. There are ten mule deer subspecies and six (two extinct) elk subspecies in North America. After whitetail deer, they are both the most commonly hunted big game animals in the US. Although the two species are not visually similar, there are other characteristics that elk and mule deer have in common.

Central oregon elk vs deer